Brief Overview of πιστόω (Strong’s G4104: pistoō)

Strong’s G4104: From πιστός, πιστόω is a verb meaning to make faithful or trustworthy, to establish, or to assure. In the passive voice, it means to be assured of or convinced. Its sole New Testament appearance in 2 Timothy 3:14 emphasizes the importance of remaining firm in learned and verified truths.

U- Unveiling the Word

Πιστόω represents the transformative process of making something or someone trustworthy or establishing confidence. In the New Testament context, it carries the weight of becoming fully convinced or assured of truth, particularly regarding spiritual matters. The word emphasizes the process of verification and confirmation that leads to unwavering conviction. Early church fathers used this term to describe the process of establishing believers in their faith through teaching and discipleship. Today, it remains relevant in describing the journey from initial belief to deeply rooted conviction in Christian truth.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πιστόω, pistoō, [pis-to’-o]
• Pronunciation Guide: ‘pis’ as in ‘pistol’, ‘to’ as in ‘toe’, with a long ‘o’ sound at the end
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• Root: πιστός (pistos) – faithful, trustworthy
• Suffix: -όω (-oō) – causative verbal suffix
• Function: Creates a verb meaning “to make” something have the quality of the root word

D – Defining Meanings

• To make faithful or trustworthy
• To establish as true
• To be fully assured or convinced (in passive voice)

For compound words:
The causative suffix -όω transforms the adjectival root πιστός (faithful) into a verb expressing the action of making something or someone faithful or assured.

Translation Options:

• To be assured – Best captures the passive sense in NT usage
• To establish firmly – Emphasizes the causative aspect
• To make certain – Reflects the process of verification

E – Exploring Similar Words

• βεβαιόω (bebaioō) [beb-ah-yo’-o] – to confirm, establish, more focused on external confirmation
• στηρίζω (stērizō) [stay-rid’-zo] – to strengthen, establish, emphasizes support
• θεμελιόω (themelioō) [them-el-yo’-o] – to lay a foundation, more concrete in meaning

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a verb, πιστόω exhibits these features:

• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist, Perfect
• Voice: Active, Middle, Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Optative, Imperative
• Person: First, Second, Third
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Aspect: Continuous, Punctiliar, Stative

Example conjugations:

• Present Active: πιστόω
• Aorist Passive: ἐπιστώθην
• Perfect Passive: πεπίστωμαι

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes the passive sense of being convinced or assured. Thayer’s notes its development from πιστός and its causative force. LSJ provides examples from classical literature showing its broader usage. Vine’s connects it to the concept of verification through experience. Moulton and Milligan cite papyri usage showing legal and commercial applications of establishing trustworthiness.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of [πιστόω], knowing from whom you learned it” (2 Timothy 3:14)

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Πιστόω beautifully captures the transformative process of becoming fully assured in the truth of the gospel. It proclaims that the good news of Jesus Christ isn’t merely intellectual assent but a deeply established conviction that transforms lives. This verb reminds us that faith is both a gift from God and a journey of becoming increasingly established in truth.

D – Did You Know?

• Πιστόω appears only once in the New Testament but was common in Greek legal documents
• The word was used in ancient banking contexts to describe verified transactions
• Early Christian catechisms used forms of πιστόω to describe the process of establishing new believers in their faith

Strong’s G4104: A verb derived from πιστός, meaning to make faithful or establish as trustworthy. In passive voice, indicates being fully assured or convinced. Its single NT occurrence in 2 Timothy 3:14 emphasizes the importance of remaining firmly established in learned and verified spiritual truths.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: #assurance #conviction #establishment #faith-development #verification #spiritual-growth #truth #discipleship #teaching #confirmation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​